Surgical Trajectory Monitoring System and Related Methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining a desired trajectory and/or monitoring the trajectory of surgical instruments and/or implants in any number of surgical procedures, such as (but not limited to) spinal surgery, including (but not limited to) ensuring proper placement of pedicle screws during pedicle fixation procedures and ensuring proper trajectory during the establishment of an operative corridor to a spinal target site.

1 . A system for controlling the trajectory of a surgical instrument, comprising:
 an orientation sensor coupled to said surgical instrument and operable to determine a first angular relationship in a first plane between said sensor and a reference direction and operable to determine a second angular relationship in a second plane between said sensor and said reference direction, wherein said second plane is orthogonal to said first plane and said sensor is coupled to said surgical instrument in a known orientation; and   a feedback device communicatively coupled to said sensor and configured to communicate information to a user regarding at least one of said determined first and second angular relationships between said sensor and said reference direction.